1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of knitting an inlaid fabric in which an inlay yarn is interlaced by use of a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of oppositely arranged, front and back needle beds and to an inlaid fabric knitted by the method.
2. Prior Art
An inlay knit structure in which an inlay yarn is integrally knitted in a base knitting fabric forms a thick-gauge knitting fabric and is superior in bulkiness and retention of shape and, therefore, is used as a knitting structure for an overclothes and the like. An inlaid fabric using an elastic yarn, such as a rubber yarn, as the inlay yarn is a suitable material for underwears and the like requiring high stretchability. Thus, the inlay knit can be used for knitting fabrics for various uses by varying types of yarns and materials to be used in knitting and knitting conditions such as a knitting structure and others.
With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, an example of a known method of knitting the inlaid fabric will be described below. In the course 1 in FIG. 7, a base knitting fabric portion of a plain knitting structure is knitted with needles a-s of the back needle bed. In the course 2, after the back needle bed is racked rightward by a half pitch of needle, the yarn fed to the needles of the back needle bed in the course 1 is fed to needles E, J and O of the front needle bed as well, to form loops thereat. Then, in the course 3, an inlay yarn 101 is made to run across the loops retained between the front and back needle beds through the knitting of the course 2. In the course 4, after the back needle bed is racked leftwards by a half pitch of needle, the loops retained by the needles E, J and O of the front needle bed are transferred onto the needles of the back needle bed to be overlapped with the loops on the back needle bed. In the course 5, the needles of the back needle bed are used again to form the plain knitting structure. The knitting steps shown in the above-mentioned courses 1 through 5 are repeated to knit the base portion of the plain knitting structure as shown in FIG. 8 and, as a result, the inlaid fabric in which the inlay yarn 101 is inserted every other course is knitted.
In the inlaid fabric produced by the above-mentioned knitting method, the inlay yarn is held between the back knit and the front knit of the rib knitting structure, while the loops of the rib knitting structure formed across a needle gap between the front and back needle beds are enlarged due to the knitting yarn extending between the front knit and the back knit being absorbed in the loops. Accordingly, the interval between the front knit and the back knit between which the inlay yarn is held is widened. As a result of this, when a force is exerted on the held inlay yarn in the direction of the fabric being stretched in wearing or when the inlay yarn is caught or hooked by something, there is a fear of the inlay yarn being drawn out.
In addition, since no loops of the former course exist in new loops of the rib knitting structure portion which are additionally formed at the needles of the front needle bed, gaps are produced at 103 where the new loops are formed, as shown in FIG. 8, and as such reduces the product value.
The above-mentioned problems are due to the new loops 105 in the rib knitting structure portion formed at the needles of the front needle bed being not held by the loops of the former course.